Thank you for your interest in the summer program at Dentons in Calgary.
Our program
The summer program at Dentons’ Calgary office has been an integral part of our professional development for more than 25 years. The program was designed to give you unparalleled exposure to a variety of work and facilitate your transition from student to lawyer.
As part of the summer program, students are assigned a mentor, usually a mid-level associate who remembers what it feels like to be a student. Your mentor will give you work, provide feedback and offer guidance on everything; from how to write a client letter to who to ask for assistance with our technology.
Our goal is to provide you with varied professional opportunities and proactively integrate you into our daily practice. Most of our summer students return to article with us, and in turn, stay on as associates, so we want to ensure that from the moment you walk in the door you become part of our team. This means working with many different lawyers, meeting our clients and maybe even learning to two-step at our Stampede party.
Evaluation
Feedback is fundamental to your summering experience. While you can expect to receive informal evaluations from the lawyers you will be working with regularly, you will also be more formally evaluated. Before you return to school in the fall, you will receive individual feedback during a formal interview. Hopefully, this feedback will aid you as you return to your studies and assist in preparing you for articles. The interview also provides you with an opportunity to share any comments or suggestions you may have to improve our summer program.
What it’s like to summer at Dentons in Calgary
What our students say:
Branden DeFoort, University of Calgary: The summer student experience at Dentons Calgary is thoughtfully designed with your development in mind. From the outset, students are trusted with meaningful work across practice groups and invited to contribute to files in ways that build both practical skills and professional confidence. The work is challenging, varied, and connected to the real practice of law. Students may find themselves researching complex legal issues, drafting memoranda and transaction documents, attending court, or supporting active client matters.
What stands out most is how deeply invested people are in your success. That commitment shows up through formal mentorship, structured training, and regular feedback, but it is equally present in the informal moments: a lawyer stopping by to check in, an associate making time for coffee, or a partner taking the time to explain the broader strategy behind an assignment. There is genuine care and consideration built into the experience, and you feel it throughout the term. Dentons also understands that growth happens through connection. Firm networking events, Stampede celebrations, First Thursdays, and the Associates Golf Day created many opportunities to build relationships and experience the culture beyond the work itself. These events made it easy to connect with colleagues across the office and feel like part of the team.
Dentons strikes a rare balance: it supports you, challenges you, and gives you the tools to level up as an emerging lawyer, while also making sure you have fun along the way. I leave the summer with stronger skills, meaningful relationships, and a clear sense that Dentons is a place where people want to see you succeed.
Nadia Ekkel, Osgoode Hall Law School: My summer at Dentons Calgary was a deeply rewarding experience filled with hands-on learning, genuine mentorship, and a welcoming sense of community. I had the opportunity to gain valuable hands-on experience and develop my skills through research, drafting, and work on client matters that gave me real insight into how law is practiced day to day. Whether I was preparing memoranda, assisting on file work, or sitting in on court proceedings, I was consistently provided with meaningful responsibilities and new experiences that pushed me to grow. The work itself was genuinely engaging, and I quickly saw how each assignment connected to the bigger picture of client service and practical problem-solving.
What consistently stood out most was the people at Dentons. Lawyers at every level made time to answer my questions, offer feedback, and check in on my progress, making even the most complex assignments feel manageable. They were always willing to teach, explaining not just what needed to be done but why, and took a genuine interest in helping me understand the reasoning behind their approach. Lawyers challenged me to stretch beyond my comfort zone, but continually provided valuable guidance and support.
Beyond the substantive work, Dentons Calgary social culture made the summer truly memorable. Firm-wide events, practice group gatherings, and informal outings with colleagues made it easy to build genuine relationships, both with fellow students and with lawyers across the firm.
Lily Francis, University of Calgary: My summer at Dentons was transformative, helping me grow both as a law student and as a person. I was consistently pushed outside my comfort zone- writing legal memoranda, researching unfamiliar topics, and shadowing lawyers in court; with each experience building on the last.
Yet despite being pushed beyond my comfort zone, I have never felt more welcomed and supported. It meant a great deal to have lawyers across multiple practice areas trust me to try something new, and to receive their feedback and guidance along the way. From the first day, it was clear that everyone (partners, associates, articling students, and legal assistants alike) was invested in helping me learn and grow. Although I was assigned a formal mentor who proved invaluable to my summer experience, I also benefited from many informal mentorship opportunities. The willingness of lawyers to make time for a coffee chat or to share advice and feedback truly stood out.
Beyond the meaningful work, a highlight of the summer was experiencing the Dentons’ culture firsthand through a healthy dose of social events. From First Thursdays to the Golf Tournament to Slo-Pitch games, there was no shortage of opportunities to connect with colleagues in a relaxed setting. I am deeply grateful for a summer that challenged me, supported me, and showed me what it truly means to be part of a team.
Kyrylo Krestych, University of Manitoba: As an immigrant and an out-of-province applicant, I was worried about how Big Law in Calgary would treat me. However, all of my concerns disappeared the moment I arrived at Dentons during recruit week. The lawyers, partners, staff, and articling students created such a welcoming environment that it was simply impossible to stay stressed; I am happy to report that sense of being in the right place only deepened through every day of my summer.
What I found at Dentons was a genuine culture of inclusivity, mentorship, and pursuit of excellence. Lawyers invested their time in helping me explore the areas of law I was curious about, and the tasks I was given allowed me to understand what practicing in those areas actually looks like. The same was true of the summer class itself. With only seven of us, the environment was collegial and supportive from day one.
Looking back, my summer at Dentons confirmed that I had found the right fit. For students considering Dentons Calgary, I would encourage you to take the leap—you will be welcomed, supported, and given every opportunity to grow.